


Stay by My Side or Leave Me Forever

by daine_sarain



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Best Friends Jung Wooyoung & Kang Yeosang, Brat Jung Wooyoung, Demon Choi San, Demons, Elf!Yeosang, Elf/Human Relationship(s), Elves, Fae & Fairies, Fairies, How Do I Tag, Human Choi Jongho, Human Kim Hongjoong, M/M, Mages, Magic, Minor Choi San/Kang Yeosang, My First AO3 Post, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pirate Kim Hongjoong, Prince Jung Wooyoung, Protective Choi Jongho, Royalty, Werewolf Song Mingi, Werewolves, Witch Jeong Yunho, elf!wooyoung, fairy!Hongjoong, undine!seonghwa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daine_sarain/pseuds/daine_sarain
Summary: It is the beginning of Spring in the Elven kingdom of Namaria and Prince Wooyoung is traveling from one village to another in celebration of his birthday. That was, until, he was kidnapped by humans. Sheltered Prince Wooyoung is now in human territory, far from his home, and needs protection from the humans who hunt his kind. That protection comes in the form of Jongho, a human mercenary involved in his kidnapping who is willing to escort him home in order to avoid punishment for entering the Otherrealm. Jongho is skilled with a sword, finds the Elven Prince intriguing, and seems trustworthy enough, but is there a possible secret motive behind his innocent smile? Will Wooyoung ever make it back home? And how is it that this human makes his heart flutter?
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Jung Wooyoung, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 11





	1. Birthday Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first ever published work of fanfiction, as well as my first time writing with Ao3 so I'm figuring things out as I go. This is a JongWoo fic because not enough people appreciate their interactions. Let me know if you are interested in this work at all because I love writing but have nothing to write about so I figured why not write something I'd want to actually read? The rest of the Ateez members will appear in this work as well, just not so much in the beginning. I'll add tags as I write so stay tuned! Any and all comments are welcome!

Wooyoung stared at his reflection in the shallow pond before him, running a graceful hand through his honey blonde hair with purpose. What could he say? He was a show-off, or more accurately, he indulged in the attention paid to him by his subjects. After all, he was an Elven prince of Namaria, made known to anyone who glimpsed his ring. It shone emerald when his hands interrupted the gentle streams of sunlight that penetrated the canopy of leaves above as he set the ceremonial bowl in the water, and he knew that at some point today its silver frame had blinded the crowds of people around him. They had watched him as he put on the ceremonial crown of vines and lilies in Esari, when he lit the candle during the ritual in Lenas, when he accepted the gifts of silk and wine before leaving Menathas, and now they watched him in yet another town as he let the bowl float on the pond’s surface. And not long after, they watched with awe as he stepped into his carriage and set off to the next village.

As he sat in the carriage, exhaustedly observing the towering trees as they passed, Wooyoung thought about all of this attention and admiration he was given, and a satisfied smirk unfolded on his lips. “Looks like you’re up to no good, as usual.” Wooyoung looked towards the source of the gentle voice and met eyes with a grinning Yeosang. 

Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “As if you aren’t the accomplice to all of my schemes.”

“Perhaps, but the difference is I get away with it. Remember, I’m ‘The Angel of Thelledell’ who can do no wrong,” Yeosang retorted, sticking his tongue out at the younger.

“You also don’t have to evade the constant surveillance, or live up to expectations that come with being a Prince,” Wooyoung reminded the other with a defeated sigh, resting his chin on his palm as he turned to peek out the curtains again.

Yeosang paused for a moment, and then moved to sit beside his childhood friend. “No, that I don’t have to endure” he admitted, voice soft and without its usual bluntness. Wooyoung said nothing. He didn’t have to. Yeosang knew everything. From his favorite song to play on the lyre, to what he dreamed of the night before, from his eating habits to the temper tantrums, and from what Wooyoung had thought during their first meeting as young boys, to what recently began to plague his mind, if it was Wooyoung, Yeosang knew it all. And so, with this silent understanding between the two Elven nobles, they simply sat beside each other, quiet save for the wheels jolting the carriage when they passed over ambitious tree roots that extended into the dirt path. 

Suddenly Yeosang leaned forward to reach into his leather pack on the opposite seat. Wooyoung watched him with curiosity. “We were so wrapped up in all the festivities, I forgot to give you this.” Brushing a stray strand of long platinum hair from his face he handed Wooyoung a ball of crystal, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. A glowing golden aura danced upon its clear surface, and as Wooyoung peered into the orb, he saw a familiar field of flowers, purple, white and yellow, and a turquoise lake in the distance. It was the place only him and Yeosang knew about, their own secret kingdom, at least, that’s what they had called it as kids. He held it gently, as if it might break from the sheer intensity of his emotions. His blue eyes wet and mouth ajar, Wooyoung whispered, “It means the world to me.” He quickly pulled the other into an embrace. “Thank you.”

Yeosang smiled. “I doubt it can compete with that ring of yours, but happy birthday, Wooyoung.”

They suddenly pulled away from each other upon feeling their carriage jostle more than usual. It came to a stop and they heard yells coming from outside. The pair looked at each other in confusion, Yeosang frowning, glancing around anxiously while Wooyoung bit his lip and reached for the door handle. Before Yeosang could yank the prince’s hand away, both doors flew open and the boys were immediately pulled out of the carriage and thrown onto the ground where they were held in place by two crouching men. Humans. Bandits.

Wooyoung searched around the scene frantically, hoping that at least one of the soldiers he brought with him had not been captured. He realized now that bringing only three to accompany him and Yeosang was probably a bad idea. Although he hated the thought of his father being right, he really should have listened when the king told him to bring eight. He scoffed. Whatever, he was Wooyoung, Prince of Namaria, and he would find a way out of this, he thought to himself as he discreetly removed his ring and hid it in his knee-high leather boots. Yes, he always found a way out. Whether it was back in Alari with Yeosang when they had snuck into the smoking dens and had to outrun the owner, or in his own palace when he had managed to rip the ancient robes of the king when he had tried them on for fun, he had always gotten himself out of situations like these.

Although, after he, his company of soldiers and best friend were tied and gagged, he began to lose some of that confidence. And then, when the soldiers were brought into the forest that bordered the empty road and had gods know what done to them, and when he watched on as the bandits took what they wanted from his carriage, the gold hubcaps on the wheels, Yeosang’s leather pack, the gifts of silk and wine, and his beloved crystal orb, and when Yeosang was eventually carried out into the forest where the others were taken, Wooyoung had lost even more hope. But he was never one to give in easily.

Still gagged and hands tied roughly about his wrists, Wooyoung was thrown to sit behind one of the bandits on horseback. They rode fast, and despite holding onto the bandit’s cape for dear life, he made a show of shouting through the fabric gag and pounding his unoccupied fist against his kidnapper’s back. By evening they veered off the road and reached a grass clearing secluded by the surrounding woods. There, he was tied to a tree and left alone, and much farther from the fire than he’d like to be. The bandits spoke in one of the many human languages, laughing as they drank from his wine and probably recounted their attack on his company, Wooyoung assumed. He spoke a few human languages, but did not understand the one they spoke, so he directed his attention to figuring out how or even if he could escape. He studied the clearing and the forest around it, and found that he had no clue as to where in the Elven territories he was. He recalled the last village he visited, a small community off the river Desos and just above the Border Woods, which separated Elven and human lands. A small gasp escaped his throat. Surely, he was being taken to human territories. And, with that came the inevitable realization that he would pass through the Border Portal. 

The Border Portal was something all Elves were told to stay away from. It was dangerous. All humans needed to pass through was something Elven-made, or worse, if they had an Elf they could use to get in. Naturally, Wooyoung never ventured near it. If he weren’t a prince, well, that would be another story, after all, he was a slave to his desire for excitement. What’s more exciting than going to a place his father specifically told him not to visit? But he was a prince and would be surrounded by guards no matter where he went, so there was no way to act upon his curiosity regarding the place. It didn’t matter now though. He was captured by humans despite following the rules, and he would be passing through the portal by tomorrow. The only plus side to all this would be if the keepers of the portal could take down all of his kidnappers. At least then he would be free, and they would be taken to Umren Anore where they would remain for life. This, Wooyoung imagined, would certainly be enough of a threat to keep humans out of the Otherrealm, and more importantly, deter them from taking a prince! So then, why kidnap him in the first place?

As this question captivated his mind, his eyes roamed until they met with those of one of the human bandits. Though, unlike the others, he sat alone and remained quiet. So quiet, that Wooyoung hadn’t even noticed his presence until this moment. Despite the dark brown strands of hair that partially obscured his eyes, Wooyoung could see no quiver of his pupils, no shifting of his gaze. He merely continued to stare at Wooyoung.

Instantly, Wooyoung had decided that he had found his way out. This human who watched him, this was how he would get home. How? Well, that he could figure out later. For now, he knew he must keep an eye on him and wait for an opportunity to fall in his hands. Or, create it himself.

That opportunity came the next night after a day of traveling further South and having the strange human observe him, the crew had set up another camp to stay at overnight, and Wooyoung had finally been allowed to speak with the gag removed. With this new privilege, he asked to use the bathroom. The humans, all exhausted and comfortable as they lay by the fire, pushed the responsibility onto each other, until it eventually landed on the one who rarely spoke, Wooyoung’s human of interest. Of course, Wooyoung knew it would come to this, and that the human surely knew it too, as he accepted the chore without complaint. He walked over and untied Wooyoung from the tree, guiding him towards the cluster of trees nearby. When they were deep enough in, the human kept guiding him forward, deeper into the trees. Wooyoung’s plan was unfolding even better than expected.

They stopped behind a large oak, far enough to not be heard by the rest of the humans, and not so far as to arouse suspicion. Perfect. “Here,” the human ordered, and it was the first time that Wooyoung had ever heard him speak. Thankfully, it was one of the human languages Wooyoung was forced to learn by the palace tutor. That, Wooyoung had depended on chance for. But it seemed that, as usual, luck was on his side.

“Drop the act. You and I both know that this was a setup. I’ll cut to the chase: you have been watching me these past few days. Why? Has the Elven prince charmed you that much?”

The human scoffed. “You think too highly of yourself, prince. I did that to get your attention. I’m gonna get you out of here.” Now this, Wooyoung could not have predicted. Sure, he assumed he could use the boy to escape, but for him to be proposing it? Wooyoung knew there must be a motive. “Right now, I don’t know how but if we can get an opportunity like this again--”

“That’s great and all, but how am I supposed to trust you? You helped them kidnap me! How do I know you’re not just trying to get on my good side so it makes it easier for you bandits to--,” Wooyoung paused. “What is it that you humans were going to do with me?”

“I don’t know, I thought I was being paid just to steal a few things and fight off a soldier or two! I didn’t know I would be kidnapping a prince! An Elven prince at that! Oh gods, your people are gonna come and kill me, aren’t they?” The human asked with a groan.

Wooyoung stood before the human, eyes glued on the ropes which dug into his wrists, quietly composing a plan. Then, his eyes shot up and met the other’s brown ones. “No, not as long as I order them not to.” A devious smirk formed on Wooyoung’s lips. “If you can get me out of here, and escort me back to Namaria, then I will let no harm befall you. But first, human, you need to prove to me that you’re not lying about any of this.”

“I’d thought you’d say that,” the human said, as he pulled something from the small pack at his belt, “so I stole this from the leader.” In his hand was the glowing crystal orb Yeosang had given the elf two days before.

Wooyoung’s eyes went wide and he hesitantly reached for the orb. Once in his hands, he examined it for cracks and the like, but found no damage had been dealt to it. “I’m impressed. That’s a pretty bold move, taking it from the boss,” he commented, confident that he could trust this stranger for now at least. “Though, it’s not really stealing it from him if it was mine in the first place.”

“So you can trust me now?” he asked, his doe brown eyes large with his eagerness. He almost looked like a puppy waiting to be praised. At this thought, Wooyoung let out a short and almost inaudible giggle. Collecting himself, he answered the question.

“Yes, but I don’t really have a choice if I want to get back home.”

“I guess not.” The man glanced back at the camp before turning back to Wooyoung. “We should head back.” Wooyoung nodded and let him guide him towards the light of the fire until he was once again tied against the tree, though considerably looser than before. As the human feigned checking the tightness of the ropes, he whispered to Wooyoung, “You can call me Jongho.” Before he could respond, the human, Jongho, was already up and silently situating himself at his spot under the same isolated tree.

Well, Wooyoung was right after all. He had always found a way out.

~~~

The next morning as they set off for the Border Portal, Wooyoung noticed that their party was much smaller than he remembered. When they finally reached the Border Portal, he had realized why. The hope that he had in remaining in Elven territory was gone. Before him the two keepers of the Portal were dead, and four of the bandits were standing over their bodies. They passed through the portal right after, some of the bandits holding onto the Elven-made wine and silk, others holding onto him to enter. He felt nothing as they passed through. They emerged on the other side of the border, still in the Border Woods, but it didn’t feel any different to Wooyoung. For all he could tell, everything looked the same as in the Elven Kingdom. It scared him that he was no longer in his homeland, and that he had no power here. Here, he was not a person, just an anomaly that could be sold and hunted. He felt like crying but refused to give in to his emotions, even if his family wouldn’t be here to scold him for it. When he knew no tears would fall from his eyes, he looked up from the ground to see Jongho looking at him. The human nodded, assuring him that he was an ally, and that he would get him back home.


	2. Close Calls in Westport

By the fourth day of their journey south, Wooyoung and Jongho had formulated a plan. Jongho had told him that they were in the human city of Westport, a vibrant trading city that welcomed hundreds of trading ships each month, including some occasional pirates. Though most importantly, Jongho assumed that this was where Wooyoung would be sold off on the night market. Back in Nemaria, tales of this sort of thing were used to scare young elves into staying in Elven territory. Wooyoung had chalked them up to be fake, just another stereotype that deemed humans as greedy and enemies to those of the Otherrealm. But now, the stories of elves being taken by humans and having their ears and hair sold would become his reality if he and Jongho didn’t do this right.

So, as the ocean wind and warm sunlight greeted them upon their arrival in Westport, Wooyoung felt his stomach begin to churn and he silently thanked the gods that he was on a horse and not standing on legs that felt like the consistency of a slimecrawler. It also felt better sitting with Jongho on his horse rather than one of the other humans. Since Jongho was tasked with guarding him during their first interaction in the woods, the bandits had decided that Wooyoung was now Jongho’s responsibility. And so, he rode with him, and is now sharing a room at the inn with him until the other humans can find a buyer from the night market.

“This is turning out to be much easier than I thought it would be,” the elf remarked, peeking out the wooden shutters of the window.

“Yeah,” Jongho agreed as he took inventory of their supplies for the journey North. “As long as they are still at the night market, we should be able to leave without causing a scene,” he reassured.

“And if we do?” Jongho’s puzzled face turned towards Wooyoung’s playful gaze. “And if we do cause a scene? What will you do?” Jongho smirked. Wooyoung was once again testing him.

“Well, I’ll use this.” He rested his hand on the hilt of his broadsword.

“And just that will be enough?” There were around 7 bandits, wielding a variety of weapons. Could Jongho really manage them all on his own? Had he a weapon, Wooyoung could fight as well, but he rarely carried so much as a dagger, let alone a whole sword. Even if he did, it would have been collected by the bandits anyway, rendering him weaponless regardless.

“I’m called the Knight of Mador for a reason, Prince. Why do you think they hired me in the first place?”

“I didn’t know you were a knight!” Wooyoung exclaimed, eyes wide. Jongho gave a small chuckle and shook his head.

“Just a mercenary, I’m afraid. Only the people from my hometown, Mador, call me that.” Wooyoung may have imagined it, but for a moment Jongho’s face fell, and the eyes that so often easily met his own dropped to the floor, and the usually upturned corners of his mouth withdrew into a faint frown. He wanted to ask, to understand more about this human who had shown an interest in him, but Wooyoung knew that there could be time for that later. Right now, he just wanted to avoid being brought to that horrid night market and have his nails exchanged for profit. Jongho, too, knew that it was time they made their escape, so after securing their capes about their shoulders and peeking out the shutters, they emerged from the room.

They snuck onto the busy streets of Westport, effortlessly blending in with the merchants who roamed among the streets and their booths of wares. Wooyoung peered around every corner, eyed each intersection of paths, and occasionally glanced about the rooftops, cautious of the ever-present threat that a lurking bandit would pose. By the time they had reached the stables to purchase the mares, Wooyoung was feeling less paranoid and sure that they would be in the next human town by nightfall.

A distinct rustling behind them drew his attention. Jongho already had a hand on his sword. A handful of the bandits jumped out from the alley before them, weapons in hand and ready to pounce. Jongho quickly withdrew his own weapon from its sheath, and at once charged at the closest one. The blow was sudden, too fast for the bandit to react to. He was on the ground before Wooyoung could register that Jongho had moved onto the next two attackers. 

Wooyoung also did not register in time the fast approaching dagger aimed right at his throat. He dodged, crashing into a booth with the sheer panic of his movement. A hard object jabbed at his shoulder. He turned to find that the booth happened to belong to a staff maker. He hastily took hold of the metal staff that dug at his shoulder and braced it against the oncoming swing of a sword. Jongho was currently taking care of the one with the dagger that had come for Wooyoung.

Wooyoung’s current attacker tried again, sweeping the sword towards Wooyoung’s side. He used the staff to block once again, this time pushing back against the sword and kicking the man in the gut, knocking him to the ground. He brought the staff to his head in one swift blow and it was done. 

No sooner than he managed to catch his breath, his arms were harshly pulled behind him and secured there with rope. When he turned his head back, he met eyes with another bandit, accompanied by two others. They must have arrived just moments ago. “Jongho!” Wooyoung cried loudly before yet another gag was placed in his mouth. Jongho glanced up from the standstill between him and another bandit, swords crossed and both sides pushing. In the brief moment of this distraction, the human kicked Jongho to the ground. He winced but forced himself back up to sprint towards Wooyoung, but was blocked by the two remaining bandits, minus the one who held Wooyoung captive. The blonde-haired elf watched in despair as his companion struggled to retrieve his discarded sword in time before the other humans reached him, and was dragged away from the scene, depriving him of the certainty that Jongho had avoided being killed.

He was dragged through the back alleyways and obscured side paths until his kidnapper had brought him into a small building. The man pushed aside the chaise in the corner of the room, the rug under it, and then a section of the floorboards to reveal an entrance, with a ladder leading down. Instead of untying his ropes, he was made to maneuver awkwardly down the ladder backward while his hands attempted to grip the rungs.

The underground passage had hosted life and movement that rivaled the busy merchant streets above. Countless small booths had similarly created narrow paths for buyers and sellers to roam, lighted by the many lanterns posted at every other booth. In many ways, it closely resembled a normal market. What set it apart, however, were the people present. They did not adorn the colorful clothing of the upper markets, but rather dark flowing capes and hoods that disguised their identities. He looked to the bandit that led him through the crowds. He donned the same attire. Wooyoung was the odd one out. Then again, he was not a buyer or a seller. To them, he was a commodity.

He took note of the goods presented at the booths in an effort to both avoid the numerous eyes that followed him and to keep his mind from remembering that he was about to become a household decoration, the buck antlers that hung above the hunter’s fireplace, or a slave, and he wasn’t sure which was worse. His mind had at some point wandered to Jongho, and he wondered if he would ever see the human again. Did he defeat the bandits? Was he wounded? Where was he? Did he know where Wooyoung was, and was he going to come and rescue him? Wooyoung paused his questions. No, he had to think of something else. He couldn’t have false hope, even now as his situation became even more drastic.

They had reached a rather secluded area of the night market, where a small band of pirates was gathered, apparently the only ones not adhering to the dress code. What he assumed to be the captain spoke with his kidnapper in the same human language that Wooyoung did not understand. Papers were signed, coins exchanged, and Wooyoung was now passed onto his second set of kidnappers of this week.

What pirates wanted with an elf, he did not know. Though, he suddenly felt a bit less anxious, as the pirates seemed to be a bit less sinister than those who studied him in the night market. That was, until he had boarded the ship.

Suddenly, the realization that he was being taken somewhere even farther from Namaria dawned on him. His breathing became ragged and his heart raced as he boarded the ship. He had been allowed to freely roam the ship, although still bound with his arms behind him, which he was thankful for when he needed to throw up, and the only place that seemed appropriate was the ocean.

“Hey, are you alright,” a voice asked after minutes of dry heaving over the deck. Wooyoung turned to find a short, red-haired boy around his age standing over him. Before he could string together any words, the pirate continued. “We haven’t even set off yet, and you’re already seasick! Surely you’ve seen the ocean before, you can’t be this stunned!” he exclaimed, almost angrily.

“Of course I’ve seen the ocean before!” Wooyoung yelled in defiance, though his shaking hands did nothing to convey this. A distant memory of the ocean formed in his mind, a haze of rippling turquoise and glistening gold, and the gentle sound of the waves that he could still recall all these years later, even if he wasn’t presently docked at shore.

“You still haven’t answered my other question,” the other boy reminded him. Wooyoung grumbled.

“I’m fine,” he assured, exasperated. That’s right. He was Jung Wooyoung, a Prince of Namaria that would never lose confidence in the face of adversity. He was perfectly fine! He would find a way out of this. He tried to stand, but his shaking legs collapsed beneath him and he fell to the floor. The other watched silently as Wooyoung went to stand again, bracing himself against the solid wooden railing that lined the deck. He met the human’s cocked eyebrow. “Just fine,” he reiterated with a venomous tone. They stood in silence for a moment and Wooyoung merely stared at his very worn leather boots, doing everything in his power to not think about Namaria, his family, his people, Yeosang, and even his father.

“You know, it’s okay to not be fine.” Wooyoung looked up to meet the other boy’s blue-grey eyes in surprise. “Sometimes, we have to allow ourselves to feel those negative emotions of sadness, anger, fear, or anxiety before we can pick ourselves back up and truly feel okay again.” Wooyoung thought about this a moment. When was the last time he had allowed himself to be scared or unhappy or mad at the world? He had always repressed those feelings because, well, it was just not something a prince did. He had learned that long ago, when his pet rabbit had died and his father had scolded him for crying in front of their guests, and when his mother held him to her and told him that he had to “stay strong for the sake of the kingdom” as the thunder boomed outside, too loud for his sensitive ears. “I don’t know your situation, but you shouldn’t be ashamed of your own feelings. But what do I know, I’m just the rigger on this ship,” he said heading towards the lines of rope that formed the shroud and ratlines.

Wooyoung stayed quiet for a few moments to internalize what the other had said before speaking again. “Rigger,” he began in a louder voice and watched on as the pirate climbed the ropes, “what does that mean?”

The human was now close enough to the mast and was reaching for the closed sail. “Means I get to do this!” he yelled, and unfurled the white sheet. He made his way down the shroud, agile and quick until he landed before an impressed Wooyoung. “I’m Hongjoong, by the way,” he smiled.

“Wooyoung,” the elf replied. He wasn’t sure why this human was being kind to him, as unlike Jongho, Hongjoong seemed to be aware of his involvement in Wooyoung’s kidnapping. Though, Wooyoung supposed it would be good to have an ally, or as much of an ally you can get out of a pirate, on board.

When the spring air turned chill, and the warm rays of the sun had shed their last bits of light before descending into the sunset beyond the sea, the crew had put Wooyoung in one of the few cells below deck to go out drinking, Hongjoong had told him before leaving. He played with the embroidered hem of his green tunic in the flickering glow from the lantern. It had been around an hour since the crew had left. The singular pirate who guarded him snored, hunched on the chair outside his cell. The only sound that echoed throughout the quiet dock was the rocking of the boats, which made gentle splashing noises amidst the whistle of the wind. Wooyoung listened intently to all of this, as it was the only thing that put his mind at ease. 

At some point, Wooyoung discerned a new sound. It was the unmistakable creaking of the wooden floorboards of the deck. He thought it to be the crew returning from their trip to the bar, but surely it was too soon for that. That, and the creaking was slow, as if the person were moving cautiously. Wooyoung listened and waited until the door leading below deck, and ultimately to his cell, opened. He couldn’t make out who it was, only that a broad silhouette was creeping towards him. Not sure whether he should make his presence known or shrink back into the corner of his cell, he stayed frozen in place and watched. The figure came closer and in one swift movement, dealt a blow to the head to the sleeping pirate with the hilt of his sword. His now unconscious body slumped and thudded onto the floor. He was within the light of the lantern now, and a relieved Jongho approached his cell urgently.

“Jongho!” Wooyoung whispered ecstatically. “I was beginning to think I was really in trouble this time!” He crawled to the bars to meet him.

“You really have no faith in me,” Jongho tsked, looking around the room.

“There,” Wooyoung pointed towards the keychain at the pirate’s belt. Jongho retrieved it and unlocked the wrought iron cell door. They rushed up the stairs and onto the deck where they met the rest of the pirate crew, weapons out and ready to attack when ordered.

“So much for a clean exit this time,” Jongho lamented, unsheathing his sword. Wooyoung stayed back, once again weaponless. He briefly met eyes with Hongjoong, whose eyes flickered from him to Jongho to the captain.

“It seems the pretty elf has a friend,” the captain declared, eyes narrowed on Jongho with contempt. “Does he wish to join you in your cell, or maybe he’d rather be marooned on some abandoned rock in the ocean.”

“A waste of time!” one of the pirates remarked.

The captain hummed. “Or maybe,” his face erupted in a sinister grin, “he should face death now. Get him,” he ordered. His crew obeyed, bloodlust possessing them as they thrashed their weapons about, leaping towards Jongho almost wildly. He kept them at bay, blocking and dodging their attacks, occasionally slicing their kneecaps or landing a blow in the shoulder. 

Wooyoung wanted to fight, he had been trained from a young age to excel in these situations, yet he always found himself helpless. He felt something gently hit his boot. It was a thin, agile sword, which he scooped from the ground. When he quickly looked towards the direction it was kicked from, he found Hongjoong, whose pointer finger met his lips in a silent plea. Wooyoung nodded, he had nothing to gain from being a snitch. 

The weapon was easy to wield and proved to be very sharp when he had effortlessly glided the blade through the stomach of an attacking pirate. He and Jongho fought off the remaining few, minus the missing Hongjoong, as the captain watched in sadistic amusement. Once they had taken care of them all the captain spoke.

“It appears I’ve underestimated you,” he said to Jongho, then looked to Wooyoung as well, “and you as well.” Wooyoung and Jongho looked to each other in hopes that the other had the answer to what the captain was building to. “My crew is dead, my coins depleted, and my prize is escaping before my eyes.” He collapsed onto his knees, tossing his dagger away from him and outstretching his arms. “You can kill me, or you can leave me here! I got a good show, but I have nothing left. Either way it doesn’t matter!” Wooyoung, again, cautiously looked to Jongho, who looked just as puzzled. “Kill me!” he bellowed. “Kill me or leave me here! It makes no difference!” His screams were agonizing to Wooyoung’s sensitive ears. Jongho grabbed the elf’s arm.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said lowly, and rushed off the boat, Wooyoung in tow as the agonizing sobs of the pirate continued. By the time they had reached the stables, and had took off in the darkness, the screams were long out of earshot, but they nonetheless reverberated in Wooyoung’s mind.

~~~

By the time the stars and moon took their complete reign over the sky, they had already passed the nearby town and took refuge in a small community a few miles Northwest of that town. Jongho had reasoned to Wooyoung that this was a safer arrangement anyways, as they could be noticed by fewer people, and anyone had decided to follow them, they would not expect them here, in the abandoned barn of a farming family. Not that many people knew about the elf in Westport, but it was better to be safe than sorry, according to Jongho anyway.

“I was looking forward to seeing the city, though,” Wooyoung grumbled. “And a real bed would be preferable to this.” He gestured at the thick bed of straw beneath the two of them. He didn’t mean to be ungrateful to Jongho, especially after all he’s done for him, but he had had an exhausting day and couldn’t help it if he became a brat. When this happened with Yeosang, the other boy would indulge in his requests at first, until he became overwhelmed and ignored Wooyoung altogether. In a way it worked, as it eventually got Wooyoung to deal with his own issues without being a nuisance to others. He knew this. At the same time though, he just wanted to be taken care of. He had enough responsibility as a prince as it was, and the only times he felt relieved of those duties was when he could act spoiled and bratty. Despite him not having dealt with his princely responsibilities recently, he still needed a break from all of the stress and emotional turmoil the events of the past few days had brought him. This just happened to be his way of doing that.

“Is that all?” Jongho asked with ‘a tone’ as his mother would put it, already beyond annoyed with the other’s bratty complaints.

Wooyoung let out a huff of offense and pouted. “I’m cold, too.”

Jongho would admit that, yes, it was somewhat cold. The lantern that sat beside the haystack provided no warmth with its flickering light, and it didn’t help that Spring had only just begun. He was thankful that the barn had no windows, at least. “Use your cape,” he advised.

Wooyoung tugged the cape around him. Once again he whined. “It’s still not warm enough!”

At this point Jongho just wanted to appease the prince and sleep, so he offered up his own, knowing that he would be cold, but perhaps Wooyoung would be quiet. “Do you want mine?”

The question hung in the air for a few moments where Wooyoung debated in silence. “No,” he eventually answered, voice smaller now. He couldn’t ask that of Jongho. After all, he was just a stranger who had happened to help him. A few more moments passed and Jongho thought he would finally get his rest. “I just wish I was in my own bed. I just want to be home.” Guilt pricked at Jongho’s skin. All things considered, he was partly to blame for the other boy’s current predicament. He considered just giving up his cape without asking this time, or asking the farmer if he had any extra blankets for the second time. But he shook those ideas from his head. The prince was good at charming others with his words, this he knew from the way he spoke with the other humans during their travels South. Surely, he knew what he was doing by bringing up his home. Beyond all this, weren’t Elves supposed to be deceiving? Or was he thinking of fairies? But then his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a muffled sob coming from his right and decided that he didn’t care if he was an annoying brat. Jongho just wanted to make things right.

“Here,” the human said, and Wooyoung turned, blinking the tears from his eyes to see Jongho laying beside him with his arms extended, inviting him closer. Wooyoung didn’t need to be told twice. He practically threw himself to the other boy and sobbed into his shoulder. Jongho adjusted their capes to cover them both before gently petting Wooyoung’s honey hair. “It’s alright. I’ll take you home, Prince.” He had made a deal with the elf, and Jongho never took back his word. To Jongho’s surprise, Wooyoung giggled. “What?” he innocently asked. Wooyoung looked up at Jongho, cheeks wet and reddened from his tears but an amused smile on his face.

“I just realized,” he began, “I haven’t given you my name!” A smile spread on Jongho’s face as well.

“I thought that maybe you didn’t want me to know. You never gave it to me, and I never asked because I figured it might be an inappropriate thing to ask a Prince.”

“Will you ask now?” Wooyoung asked in an earnest tone.

“Tell me your name, Prince.”

“Wooyoung.”


	3. Fun Is Sometimes Found in the Darkest of Alleys

The next morning the pair thanked the farmer for allowing them to use his barn, and set off once more on their mares, going at a more leisurely pace than last night. Jongho had suggested to Wooyoung that he keep his hood up to conceal his Elven ears, to which Wooyoung agreed. They followed the path until afternoon, where they encountered another human city. This one, though less lively and somewhat smaller than Westport, was still a bustling human city. 

Upon just passing through the entrance, Wooyoung noticed the scent of freshly baked bread, the countless people who wandered and the children who played on the streets, the inns and the bars, the shops and the brothels. More than anything else, he heard. He heard the chatting between people, the joyful shouts of children, the wheel crushing the dirt beneath, the barking dogs, the running water, the fluttering of hanging laundry with the wind.

If there was one difference between human and Elven cities, it was the activity. While human cities were overflowing with movement and energy, Elven cities were quiet. There were just as many people in the same amount of space, but there was never commotion, only quiet conversations behind closed doors, the hum of the earth and the chirping of the birds. Rarely was there trouble. So, Wooyoung usually put the responsibility on himself to create it. Good trouble, of course. Nothing that would harm others, but enough trouble for there to be action, adrenaline, fun. Oh, how he had missed Yeosang and their misadventures in Alari. Although he was the one who acted first, on more than one occasion Yeosang had planted the bad ideas into his mind. A mere suggestion that the dragon’s den within the mountain had been neglected for over a decade, that the snow was missing, say, sledding tracks, or that it would be fun to see who could beat the other in a race above the rooftops was enough to send Wooyooung into a possessed mania. And Yeosang was always there to tell him it was a stupid idea, despite his eager participation. There was also the punishment that came with those bad ideas, the hours his father spent lecturing him. Though, Wooyoung would gladly endure those if it meant he could, for just a small window of time, free himself from his role as prince.

“Wooyoung.” His sudden flood of emotions was interrupted by the soft sound of Jongho’s voice. He had dismounted his horse and was waiting for Wooyoung to do the same. Wooyoung snapped out of the memories of his dearest friend and climbed down, careful to keep his hood over his ears.

“I thought we were just passing through?” Wooyoung asked. Jongho flashed him a warm smile.

“Well, you said you wanted to see the city last night. I know this may not be as lively or interesting as Westport but𑁋”

“No, no, this is fine! It’s perfect!” the prince assured. “About last night actually, I didn’t mean to be so...so…” He struggled to pick out the right word.

“Spoiled?” Jongho supplied. Wooyoung sheepishly nodded.

“It wasn’t meant to be directed at you or anything, I just,” he paused, not sure how much information would be too personal to tell a kind-of-stranger. “I just get like that sometimes, when I’m stressed, I guess.”

“It’s alright, Wooyoung. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things. When you get like that, I don’t mind spoiling you.” Wooyoung froze. It was the first time someone had accepted this side of him completely.

“You really mean that?” He asked, his quiet voice almost carried away by a gust of wind so strong it removed the hood from his head. Jongho rushed to him and quickly pulled it back into place. Thankfully, it seemed that no one had seen the brief sight of his Elven ears.

“Yes, I do,” he answered, eyes locked onto Wooyoung’s. The Elf beamed and pulled him into a sudden embrace.

Jongho pushed him away, holding him by the shoulders an arm's length away. In a stricter tone, he continued. “As long as you know when your complaining goes too far.” Wooyoung nodded eagerly. Jongho let him go and began to walk away from the stables. He stopped when he saw that Wooyoung hadn’t moved. “Well, come on,” Jongho instructed as he beckoned towards him. Wooyoung scurried to catch up to him.

A few minutes into their stroll, Wooyoung piped up. “Where are we going?”

“Wherever you want,” Jongho shrugged. “We can look in the shops, get some food, or just walk arou𑁋” he was cut off when Wooyoung abruptly tugged on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. He pointed to a small shop across the street, the hanging wooden sign above its door displaying letters the human could not read.

“Let’s eat there!” Wooyoung exclaimed, awaiting Jongho’s response.

“You can read that?” The Elf nodded in reply and impatiently began to pull Jongho with him towards the building. Once inside, Wooyoung had sat them at a booth and spoke to one of the woman servers in a language Jongho did not understand. “How do you know what they’re saying? And you do realize that I have to pay for everything right?”

Wooyoung scoffed. “How do you think I understand what you’re saying right now? Neither is my native language. Learning,” Wooyoung mouthed ‘human’ to Jongho, “languages was a part of my studies. And of course you’re paying for everything, I have nothing to pay with!”

“You have that.” Following Jongho’s gaze, Wooyoung found the emerald ring that adorned his fourth finger. He withdrew the hand closer to himself, placing his other hand over it protectively.

“This is never to be exchanged. Ne-ver,” He emphasized, narrowing his eyes at Jongho.

“Okay, okay, forget I asked,” Jongho said, feigning intimidation. The woman came back with their food and set it down before them. Wooyoung thanked her and Jongho gave a polite nod. Wooyoung had ordered a beer and soup for each of them.

“I hope you like what I picked,” he said, digging into his soup. Jongho did the same. His first bite surprised him, though, and he paused. Wooyoung, having noticed this, leaned forward. “Is something wrong?” he asked, concern lacing his words.

Jongho thought for a moment longer. “This tastes familiar.” He took another hearty bite and Wooyoung watched Jongho’s eyes, frantic as they searched his brain for the answer. His eyes suddenly went wide and met Wooyoung’s, his mouth agape with realization. “It tastes like the soup my mom used to make for me in Mador,” he said softly. For a moment, Wooyoung thought his companion might begin to weep, but then the human smiled, ear to ear and full of joy. “You picked the right place, Wooyoung.” Relieved, Wooyoung grinned back, though he could sense a sadness in the other’s eyes.

“Good to hear.”

They spent the day wandering the city and occasionally entering a few shops of Wooyoung’s interest. At one point they stopped in a weapons shop, where he picked up a sheath for the sword Hongjoong gave him on the ship. He wasn’t too interested in weapons, but it would be good if he could defend himself, rather than relying on Jongho’s sword. Speaking of Jongho, Wooyoung had to practically drag the taller boy away from the broadsword he was drooling over. But, he supposed it made up for when he had almost accidentally been scammed into buying a ‘potion’ with Jongho’s money and the human had to intervene.

By sunset they had found their way to a lively part of the city, where bars were stationed on every corner, in between the brothels and gambling dens, and drunks wandered the streets. Though most humans would have deemed this environment to be tasteless, Wooyoung was an Elf, and he was supposed to find it deplorable. However, Wooyoung was never one to fit into expectations, and so he relished in the loud drunken cheers, the carefree dancers at the inns, the laughter, all of it. As for Jongho, he was not as amused. If anything, Wooyoung would wager that he was counting down the minutes to check into an inn, away from all this morally questionable activity.

“I’m sorry, we can go soon. It’s just,” he ceased his footsteps, “I’m having a lot of fun right now.”

“Don’t be sorry, Wooyoung. I already said that I don’t mind spoiling you. It’s not every day that you get to give an Elven prince a tour of human lands,” he chuckled. “Besides, isn’t it a little out of character for you to be apologizing?”

“You’re right! I won’t put up with someone who’s not even having fun with me!” Wooyoung said, invigorated with the energy that came with Jongho’s assurance. “Come,” he grabbed onto the other’s arm, “I’ll show you a good time!”

Wooyoung led them to one of the more crowded, and therefore lively, taverns. Once inside, they joined the crowd that watched on as pairs of dancers swiftly frolicked around the room to the cheerful music. Wooyoung clapped along to the beat with the rest of the crowd, and Jongho reluctantly obliged his companion’s unspoken request, mirroring the other. He looked over to see Wooyoung’s merry expression and concluded that for right now, that was all that mattered.

The song ended and for a brief moment, the clapping stopped before it continued as if it had never gone away in the first place when another song began. More people began to join in the dancing. Wooyoung eagerly turned to Jongho. “We should dance too!” 

“I don’t know about that,” he admitted. Jongho may have been graceful in combat, but he was not about to dance in front of all these people. Not to mention that he and Wooyoung were still tipsy due to the other’s insistence on trying every kind of human alcohol. Surely he had to draw the line somewhere. Then again, it was he who told Wooyoung that he would give in to his whims. Well, those weren’t his exact words, but the expectation was still there.

“Why not?” Wooyoung asked, his tone rising into a whine. When he saw no sign of resignation on Jongho’s face, his pout turned into a devious grin. “Fine, if you won’t dance with me then someone else will.”

“And then what? Your ears are exposed and I have to rescue you again? No thanks.”

“Then dance with me!” Wooyoung pleaded with a giggle, attempting to pull Jongho from the crowd and into the dancing space. As he lingered at the edge of the crowd trying to take Jongho with him, Wooyoung was abruptly swept away by one of the dancers, leaving a dismayed Jongho. He watched as the Elf danced fervently with the oblivious humans, matching their exact movements. From across the room he met eyes with Jongho, even shooting him a mischievous wink before continuing his passionate prancing with his partner. At this, Jongho had had enough. Aware of his magnetic attraction to causing trouble, Jongho knew that Wooyoung would sooner reveal himself to be from the Otherrealm than let Jongho leave this inn without dancing. He let out a deep breath before stepping out of the crowd. Wooyoung separated from his partner as soon as they passed him, grabbing onto Jongho’s hands and pulling him to the floor to dance with him instead.

“You owe me for this!” Jongho yelled over the loud music.

“Only if you actually dance!” Wooyoung snorted. “Like this,” he instructed, guiding Jongho into the position and steps as they danced. He held onto the younger’s waist with his left hand while his right grasped Wooyoung’s left hand. Though the positioning was similar, this dance was very much so not a royal waltz. Rather, it was more similar to a townsfolk jig where grace and accuracy were not as important as rhythm and fun. Jongho followed Wooyoung as best as he could, which was surprisingly easy. “See! You’re doing great!” Wooyoung assured. They picked up the pace, reaching the passion of Wooyoung’s previous dancing. And as they danced, Jongho couldn’t help but break into a smile. This was fun. 

He spun the other once, then twice, until they were spinning together, holding onto each other to stay on their feet. Just as Jongho thought he would lose balance and fall, the song ended and just as all the other dancing partners did, the two slowed to a stop. They both were breathing heavy, cheeks flushed and small beads of sweat threatening to fall from their foreheads as they stared at each other.

“It appears you’re quite the dancer,” Wooyoung commented between huffs.

“I could say the same for you,” was the reply. “Come on, let’s get a drink, and not alcohol,” Jongho emphasized upon seeing Wooyoung’s face light up.

It had turned into nightfall before either of them had realized, and thankfully Wooyoung had spotted a decent inn earlier in the day, otherwise they would have to stay in one of the ones near the bars, the dens, and the brothels, an idea Jongho was not too keen on. Instead, they bought a room Jongho approved of and were currently warm and clean by the fireplace after each using the room’s bath. Though the room was cheap, it came with complimentary night clothes, which the two gladly changed into as opposed to their tunics and pants, which had become dirty during their travels.

As they laid in bed, the fire still burning and illuminating the dark room, Wooyoung spoke. “Thanks for today. It was really fun. Usually, I have to break a few rules to have fun in Namaria.”

“No wonder you’re so spoiled,” Jongho remarked, changing his position to face Wooyoung and flick him gently on the forehead.

“Oh, about that,” Wooyoung began, “You said you would spoil me, but that’s not because you feel guilty about kidnapping me, right?”

“Even though I wasn’t the mastermind behind it, I still feel a bit guilty about that.” When Wooyoung’s face fell, Jongho continued, panicked. “But that’s not why I said I would let you act spoiled! If I’m being honest, it’s because I think you deserve to be yourself, without changing just for my sake. Plus, I have four younger sisters, so I’m kind of used to it,” he laughed.

“I feel better knowing that you’re not doing it out of pity, but are you saying I’m like a younger sister to you?” Wooyoung glowered.

“No, but they certainly act just as spoiled as a prince does, so you could say I’ve already had some training.” Wooyoung rolled his eyes at the other’s jab as Jongho snickered.

“So, you spoil them as well?”

“When I can,” Jongho answered. “I’m the only one who can, so,” he shrugged. Wooyoung hummed. He wasn’t sure if he could ask more about Jongho’s family without crossing a line, and he wasn't sure he could stay awake to listen if he asked. So, he resigned to changing the subject.

“You know, Elves normally despise humans,” Wooyoung told him.

“And what has that got to do with anything?”

“Most Elves wouldn’t even consider the idea of traveling with a human, let alone sharing a bed with one.”

“I guess that makes you one strange Elf,” Jongho said. Wooyoung let out a curt laugh.

“Guess so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one feels a bit shorter than the others, but I think it's pretty cute nonetheless! Enjoy the fluff while it lasts because I plan for the next few chapters to have more plot and more characters!!


	4. To the Border Portal!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I quickly wanted to say that I appreciate everyone who reads this work so thank you! This fic originally came from the idea of Wooyoung being an Elven prince and Jongho being his human bodyguard. The story has changed since that initial idea, and has become more complicated and interesting. I started this work without an outline or even a general idea of where I wanted the story to go. However, I am glad to say that I now have an outline and know how I'm gonna tell this story!! That being said, I still will not have a regular upload schedule. If this is an inconvenience to you I apologize, but this is what works for me. 
> 
> Anyways, prepare yourself, as this chapter will have a bit of angst at the end, but nothing too intense haha. Now, onto the story!

By the time he and Jongho had breached the city’s outskirts, Wooyoung had gone through all stages of grief at leaving the inn. The warmth of the fire and the blankets, the soft fabric of the nightclothes, and the plush bed beneath him were all things he now mourned as he was jolted around on the hard saddle beneath him, the chill air prickling him through his dirty green tunic and black pants. Jongho was no different, back in his attire from yesterday, the brown studded leather armor over his tan shirt and black pants. It was at times like these, where he missed the comforts of a roof over his head, that he was thankful he was an elf. Unlike humans, as well as some other Otherrealm species, elves had a closer link to and appreciation for nature. Rather than destroy it or take from it, they chose to work with and around it. Therefore, even when he resented the fact that it was too early, and cold, and windy, he could tolerate it much more than the average human.

“The Border Woods,” Jongho began from atop his horse beside Wooyoung, “it’s only a few miles north from here.”

“We should be there by nightfall then, right?” Wooyoung asked after calculating the distance in his head. Jongho nodded. 

“We‘ll follow this path for the next few miles, but I’m pretty sure that it stops before we reach the Border. At that point, we just have to keep moving North.”

“Won’t that be hard?” Wooyoung asked and Jongho gave him a questioning look. “If we travel at night we won’t be able to tell North from the sun.”

“I don’t know the stars very well, but I’m sure as long as we don’t get sidetracked it’ll be alright.” Wooyoung agreed and they set off on their mares. 

They followed the path for an hour or so before they briefly rested at a well for travelers such as themselves. What human travelers would even be doing this close to the Border Woods, Wooyoung did not know. What he did know, however, was that he was parched despite it still being early spring. He allowed Jongho to accomplish the laborious task of heaving the bucket up with the worn rope, and drank from the bucket with his cupped hands when it was balanced on the bricks.

As he drank, Jongho watched him curiously, as if he anticipated a snarky comment or some other sign of displeasure. “What?” the prince demanded.

“Just wondering if it tastes any different from Elven water, I guess.” Wooyoung laughed.

“No, that’s one thing that hasn’t changed. I suppose no matter where you go the water doesn’t change.”

“That’s far from the truth,” said a voice behind them. They both turned to the sound and met eyes with the red-haired boy from Westport. “I’ve been to lands across the sea where the water tastes of sand, and to other lands still where the water is ice that is freshly melted and cools every taste bud.”

“Hongjoong!” Wooyoung cried, running up to greet him. His blonde hair was ruffled by the older’s bejeweled hand.

“Good to see you again Wooyoung. I see you still have your knight in shining armor over here,” Hongjoong remarked, nodding towards Jongho with a roguish grin. Wooyoung scoffed.

“Knowing Jongho, he’d take it as a compliment,” the Elf pointed out.

“Oh, good. I only meant to express my surprise. I didn’t think you’d still be hanging around with him. ‘Thought an elf as self-assertive as you would look down on the idea of having a human companion.”

“Wooyoung’s not like that. He may be bossy, but he’s not prejudiced against humans,” Jongho declared. Wooyoung pushed him lightly.

“I’m not bossy!” he argued. “Or, at least, not all the time,” he said in a calmer tone.

“Okay, you’re right, not all the time,” Jongho surrendered.

“Looks like I don’t have to worry. You two get along just fine.”

“Hongjoong, why would you be worried?” Wooyoung asked.

“Well, even though you put up quite the front on the ship,” Wooyoung blushed when he remembered the attitude he gave to Hongjoong, “I saw that, beneath that tough exterior, you were just a boy scared out of your mind who desperately missed home. In a way, I felt responsible for you.”

“Thank you for caring about me.” Wooyoung smiled. “Thankfully, I am on my way home now, so I have no reason to be afraid anymore. But what brings you this North?”

“Well, if I can, I’m also heading to the Otherrealm.” He lifted up both of his hands, showcasing the numerous rings and bracelets that ornamented them. “Elven-made, these are. ‘Picked ‘em up during my travels, and stole a few from the captain as well. I figured they should be taken back to the rightful owners. That, and I’m hoping that with this, I can find some work.”

“So you’re done being a pirate?” Wooyoung asked.

“Done with the piracy part, yes. I’d like to get a proper job where I can still be at sea, but, no respectable sailor will work with a pirate. I don’t know if Elves, or Nymphs, or Fairies, or any other Otherrealm races will be any more understanding than humans, but there’s no sense in not trying!”

“That’s very interesting and all, but I’m afraid we must get going if we want to reach the Border before dawn,” Jongho said, wheeling Wooyoung away from Hongjoong and towards their horses. Wooyoung stopped them and glared at Jongho.

“What are you doing?” He demanded in a whisper-yell, crossing his arms.

“I’m trying to get us back on track. We filled our canisters, now let's leave!” Jongho pleaded in the same tone.

“Hongjoong is also going to the Otherrealm. He should come with us! It would be weird if he didn’t!”

“He’s a pirate, Wooyoung! We can’t trust him. He could easily just be following us to get his hands on the gold an Elven prince would sell for!” Frustrated, Jongho ran a hand through his dark brown hair.

“Were you even listening to what he said? He’s not a pirate anymore! He said he was worried about me!”

“You can’t base trust off of words, Wooyoung, especially from the likes of him.”

“In case you have forgotten, he was the one who gave me this,” he proclaimed, brown cape fluttering aside to reveal the hand holding the hilt of his sword. “He’s coming with,” he enunciated harshly.

Jongho was taken aback. “You’re threatening me right now? I’m just trying to look out for you!”

“Wha— no, I—” Wooyoung realized that the hand he had rested on his sword was being interpreted by Jongho as a warning. He immediately let it go and put his hands up before him, palms presenting themselves to the human. “Jongho, I didn’t mean it like that. You don’t need to like him, you don’t need to trust him.” He grabbed him, tenderly, by the shoulders. “But I trust him. Can’t you trust me?” Jongho took a deep breath. It was hard to say no to that, let alone to the imploring eyes that begged Jongho so sweetly, and the pretty pout of his lips. But he couldn’t give into every one of Wooyoung’s whims! Not completely, at least.

“He can come with us,” Jongho began, eyes strict, “but I’m keeping an eye on him. And you need to stay by my side, alright. No wandering out of sight, okay?”

“Okay,” Wooyoung begrudgingly compromised, letting go of the other’s upper arms. Jongho turned away from him and walked towards Hongjoong, leaned against the well and humming a tune. 

“Hongjoong,” the human called as he reached him.

“So it appears you’ve made a verdict. I was beginning to think I could take a nap.”

“We’ve decided that you may come with us to the Border, but I don’t want any surprises,” he said, voice low.

“The only surprise you’ll find is that I’m not the criminal you make me out to be.” Hongjoong pushed off the bricks he was leaning on to stand. He brushed off the dirt on his black pants and billowy white linen shirt. He approached his horse and mounted it, then trotted it towards the other two. “You said you were in a hurry, right?” Jongho scowled before saddling up, and Wooyoung followed suit. 

Jongho led the way, with Wooyoung behind him, and Hongjoong in the rear. Of course, Wooyoung noticed the frequent backward glances from Jongho as the Elf spoke with Hongjoong. Hongjoong was easy-going, and detailed to Wooyoung some chronicles from his adventures as a pirate. Nothing too grand, just the occasional maritime battle with royal vessels or other pirate ships and a mutiny here and there. Wooyoung’s favorite story had been about the time Hongjoong alone climbed a towering rocky cliff to retrieve a pearl necklace a bird had taken from his crew’s loot and discarded there, and when they reached the start of the Border Woods at nightfall, fast asleep in Jongho’s protective, albeit paranoid, arms, he dreamt of the cliff, the shining pearls, and the crashing waters far below him.

~~~

It was the evening of the next day now, and as the trio traveled further North within the Border Woods, the path having ended long behind them, Wooyoung wanted to know more about Hongjoong’s cliff experience. “But weren’t you scared?” he asked, eyes wide with fascination.

“Not really,” the redhead answered nonchalant from his mare beside Wooyoung. “I’ve never really been afraid of heights, even when I first learned to climb up to the masts on the ship.”

“I’d definitely be afraid,” he commented with an honest smile. “What about you, Jongho? Are you afraid of heights?” Jongho thought for a moment before answering.

“I don’t think so. I’m more afraid of things like losing myself or the people I care about.”

“That’s deep,” Hongjoong remarked. “But if I were you, I’d be more afraid of getting lost.”

“Why’s that?” Wooyoung asked while Jongho halted and turned to Hongjoong, the other two also stopping their horses.

“‘Cause we’re not facing North anymore.”

“Yes, we are! I think...right?” Jongho fumbled. Hongjoong guided his mare past him to be at the front. 

“Let me lead the way.”

“No. I don’t trust you,” Jongho said, gaze intense.

“So you’d rather wander around in these woods until you possibly find the portal? It’s only getting darker and colder, and we are losing time. I’ve been at sea longer than I’ve been on land! It’d be an insult if you thought I couldn’t read the sky!”

“If I was going the wrong way why didn’t you say anything earlier? Are you sure this isn’t just a ploy to lead us away from the border?” Jongho interrogated.

“I was talking with Wooyoung and I didn’t notice until just now. You’ve been leading us East for who knows how long! Unless we are using the Mer or Fae portal to the Otherrealm, we should be heading North. I can take us there.”

Wooyoung spurred his horse forward to be beside Jongho to speak with him. “Let him lead,” he advised, eyes gentle yet commanding. “Think of it as a trust exercise. If he takes us to the Border Portal, you will know that he is trustworthy and stop being so suspicious of him. This is the perfect opportunity for that,” he whispered, placing a comforting hand on Jongho’s arm. The other stayed silent for a moment, and then gave a slight nod of his head.

“Okay,” he agreed in a whisper to Wooyoung. In a louder voice, he addressed Hongjoong. “Then lead us there. I’m trusting you on this.” Hongjoong grinned in response. He observed the stars for a second and turned his horse to face north. The other two of the company did the same, and they galloped forward.

Thankfully, and as Wooyoung had expected, Hongjoong did not lead them astray. He had led them without incident or even a moment of confusion to the portal. By the time they had reached it, Wooyoung was exhausted and didn’t feel like having to immediately explain to the new guards on the Elven side of the portal why he had two humans with him, so he convinced them to set up camp near it and wait till morning to pass through. However, once they had their sleeping areas arranged, he was no longer sleepy. Instead, Wooyoung’s thoughts were consumed by the realization that upon entering the portal, he would have to say goodbye to Hongjoong and Jongho. 

Hongjoong would go his own way once they passed through the portal. He had the Elven rings to return and hopes of finding work in the Otherrealm. Jongho said that he would escort him home, and once Wooyoung returned to his kingdom, a plethora of guards would bring him back to Alari and the palace. The deal had been to prevent any punishment from befalling Jongho due to one, his entering the Otherrealm, and two, his role in kidnapping the prince. Jongho wouldn’t be sentenced to Umren Anore in return for leading Wooyoung home. So technically, Jongho didn’t even need to pass through the portal, let alone spend the night here. He could be going back to Mador to see his younger sisters or traveling human lands to find work. Yet, he stayed, gathering firewood and every so often glowering at Hongjoong. 

Wooyoung knew that even if the ex-pirate wasn’t here, Jongho would have stayed and made sure Wooyoung got home safely. That meant that he cared for him, right? Wooyoung began to wonder if he cared about Jongho. Well, of course he did. Jongho had helped him and protected him when no one else would, allowed him to act spoiled and gave in to his whims. Not in the way his childhood nursemaid did when she let him play in the mud before taking his bath, or the way the cooks in the kitchen didn’t say anything when he stole a raspberry tart. Those people did it because he was the prince and they were his servants who greeted him with a smile while silently resenting him. Wooyoung could tell that, to them, he was a burden. Jongho wasn’t like them. Jongho simply let Wooyoung be Wooyoung. He didn’t have to be anything else. Not Wooyoung the Elven Prince, not Wooyoung the obedient son, but just Wooyoung. To think that this would be one of their last moments together broke his heart. Maybe that was why he wanted to wait until morning. At that thought, he laughed, but tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed his own.

“Wooyoung, what’s wrong?” Jongho asked, weak voice almost convincing Wooyoung that Jongho was the troubled one. Jongho sat beside him in their shared sleeping area, pallets pushed together as they had been the night before. Hongjoong was faced away from them and sleeping despite the crackling and the warm light of the fire.

At first, Wooyoung wasn’t sure if he should voice all of his concerns to Jongho. Even though Jongho had been caring, Wooyoung had noticed during their time together the way that Jongho would deny their friendship or gently push Wooyoung off of him if he was being too clingy. Little things that were probably jokes or just them playing around, but Wooyoung wondered if they contained a deeper message. Was Jongho uncomfortable? Maybe I was acting too close, Wooyoung thought. He didn’t want to cross a line by admitting to Jongho that he didn’t want to part, that, if it was possible, he wanted Jongho to come with him. But Wooyoung had always made decisions with his heart, not his head. He would rather cross that line and any line after it than say nothing and never see Jongho again. A tear fell from his eye and Jongho’s hand was immediately on his cheek, thumb there to catch it and brush it away. “Wooyoung, please tell me what’s wrong,” he pleaded gently. Wooyoung’s glossy eyes met with Jongho’s worried ones under his furrowed brows.

“Tomorrow,” he began in a shaky voice, holding back his tears “can’t be the last time I see you. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be selfish, but I’m not ready to part with you.” 

“Wooyoung,” Jongho began. Though, he did not know what to say.

“I didn’t realize time could go by so fast.” Jongho wiped away another tear that fell, listening attentively. “So, thank you for being with me, and making the time I spent here memorable. Because of you, I was able to forget the weight of being a prince for a short time.” Now, he was fully crying, but Jongho was there to brush all his tears away. Wooyoung tried to collect himself, taking deep, shaky breaths. “I’m sorry for being a crybaby,” he said in between whimpers.

“No, no, no. Not at all,” Jongho calmly murmured, pulling him into a hug and cradling the back of his head with his hand. He was still unsure of what to say to all of this. He resonated with the Elf’s feelings, as he, too, would deeply miss the other’s company. Wooyoung’s high-pitched laugh, his loud, but endearing, complaints, the way his smile made Jongho’s heart beat faster, how he would sometimes hold Jongho’s arm, all of it made Wooyoung so loveable Jongho couldn’t help but hug him closer to him, treasure him. 

At this point, Wooyoung had ceased his crying, though he still clung to Jongho. The younger laid down, bringing Wooyoung with him to nestle into his side. “I’m not ready to sleep yet. ‘Need more time,” he murmured, head resting on Jongho’s shoulder.

“I know, me too.” They stayed like that for a while, Jongho petting Wooyoung’s soft blonde hair as the Elf drew shapes on the other’s chest. A calm seemed to wash over them as their breathing slowed, their heartbeats in sync, and they remained silent and content with these few moments of comfort they found in each other. And after a while of this, Wooyoung spoke up. 

“What if,” he began tentatively, “you came with me?” Wooyoung didn’t look up from the figure eights he drew on Jongho’s leather armor, awaiting the other’s response.

“I just don’t know if that’s possible, Wooyoung. As soon as we go through the Border Portal, the guards will bring you back to your family. They certainly won’t take me along, and if they did, it would be to send me to Umren Anore.”

“I wouldn’t let them do that, it’s in our deal, remember?” Wooyoung asked with a dry laugh. “If only we could cast a spell and have no one see us. Then, I could show you all around the Elven Kingdom without anyone interfering.”

“Don’t you know any magic?” Jongho inquired.

“Only some healing magic, not anything like that,” he confessed with a sigh. They stayed quiet for a few seconds before Wooyoung quickly sat up. Jongho looked at him in surprise while Wooyoung smiled widely at him. “I may not have magic, but I sure as hell am rich!” When Jongho’s expression turned into bewilderment, Wooyoung eagerly continued. “I can easily pay them off! They will recognize me as the prince the instant they see me, and when that happens, I can tell them that I will reward them handsomely for keeping their mouths shut.” With a proud smile, he laid back down onto Jongho’s shoulder. 

“But what about when other people start seeing you? Surely you can’t pay off everyone who sees us,” Jongho reasoned.

“I can, but you’re right, at that point, it wouldn’t mean anything.” Wooyoung hummed in thought and then spoke again. “Well, I guess we can figure that out later. All I know is you’re coming with me into the Otherrealm,” he sang, beaming up at Jongho.

“I never said I would come along, especially with this unfinished plan of yours,” he declared playfully. Wooyoung giggled with a roll of his eyes.

“As if you could stay behind while your beloved Wooyoung is leaving!” Seeing the usually confident and composed Jongho now flustered as he attempted to argue, mouth opening, then closing, but never letting the words escape, a pleased Wooyoung continued. “The whole ride here you didn’t let me out of your sight once, and you’ve developed a habit of unconsciously holding me in your sleep! Don’t deny it, Jongho, you've been charmed by me.” Wooyoung smiled deviously and a light blush tinged Jongho’s cheeks. “Good night, Jongho,” he said, grabbing the other’s hand and turning to face away from him, wrapping the arm around himself, as they slept most nights.

Positioned right behind his ear, Jongho whispered, “I won’t deny it, but don’t get cocky now that I’m under your spell. Good night, Wooyoung.” Wooyoung said nothing as he contemplated the meaning of Jongho being “under his spell”. He hadn’t used magic on Jongho, but did the human think otherwise? Or did he mean to say that he felt Wooyoung had entranced him? And did that mean Jongho felt like he had no control in their alliance? Well, those questions could be answered another day. Wooyoung realized that right now, nothing else mattered except for the fact that Jongho was coming with him, and so he had nothing to worry about. With this singular, reigning thought, he fell asleep with a smile on his lips.


End file.
